(TJV NEWS) Hudson Valley Post reports that nearly half a million undocumented New Yorkers under 65 with household incomes below 138% of the federal poverty line are enrolled in Emergency Medicaid. Hudson Valley Post also notes that another 25,000 residents over 65 qualify for the state-funded program.

A Health Department spokesperson told the Albany-based think tank that covering these new enrollees costs the state about $230 million a year, Hudson Valley Post reports.

Vice President J.D. Vance recently spotlighted the program on social media, calling it “health care for illegal aliens.” While New York funds the program entirely with state money, Vance argued that federal Medicaid funds indirectly free up state cash, Hudson Valley Post reports.

New York lawmakers insist the program is fully legal, state-funded, and not at risk of being cut, even during a government shutdown, Hudson Valley Post reports. For now, elderly undocumented residents continue to receive coverage while politicians debate whether that’s a policy success or a scandal.

Meanwhile, millions of hardworking Americans nationwide face crushing medical bills, high co-pays, and limited access to care. Studies show that medical debt affects over 40 million U.S. households, often forcing working-class families to choose between healthcare and basic necessities like food and rent. The burden of medical debt can harm credit scores, limit employment opportunities, and worsen health outcomes, leaving ordinary Americans financially vulnerable while state-funded programs expand coverage for undocumented immigrants.

Hudson Valley Post reports that the contrast between secret state programs and the struggles of working families underscores growing inequities in the U.S. healthcare system, raising tough questions about priorities and fairness in healthcare funding.